Jimmy Kimmel’s Emotional Return to Late-Night TV: ‘I Was Wrong, But Not Cancelled’
- JJimmy Kimmel breaks down in tears as he returns to his show after a Trump administration-influenced hiatus
- The host apologises for his comments on the shooting of right-wing speaker Charlie Kirk, saying they were ‘ill-timed’
- Kimmel thanks his supporters and opponents, saying ‘free speech is something I’m embarrassed to say I took for granted’
Jimmy Kimmel has made a triumphant return to late-night TV, addressing the controversy that saw his show ‘indefinitely’ axed last week. The host was visibly emotional as he took to the stage, thanking his supporters and opponents for their backing.
“I’m not sure who had a weirder 48 hours, me or the CEO of Tylenol,” Kimmel joked, before getting serious. “It was never my intention to make light of a murder of a young man… I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel’s comments, which suggested the conservative pundit’s alleged killer may have been a MAGA Republican, sparked outrage from Republicans and led to his show’s hiatus. However, the host stood by his right to free speech, saying “it takes courage for them to speak out against this administration and they did and they deserve credit for it.”
Donald Trump had celebrated Kimmel’s pause, but the host fired back, saying the President’s attempts to cancel him had “backfired bigly”. Kimmel also thanked his parent company Disney for bringing him back on air, despite facing boycotts.
The audience was wowed by Kimmel’s emotional return, with fans saying they were “happy that Jimmy kind of won this battle”. However, some Charlie Kirk supporters voiced their disappointment, with one mourner saying “I’m so sick of one’s side opinion taking precedence… somebody died.”
Kimmel’s guests included singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and actor Glen Powell, as the host vowed to continue speaking out against censorship. “Free speech is something I’m embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Stephen Colbert off the air,” he said.
The controversy has sparked a wider debate about free speech and censorship in the US, with many calling for greater protections for comedians and journalists. As Kimmel said, “our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”